Fukuoka Prefectural Assembly head Kurauchi to resign as assembly member

Fukuoka Prefectural Assembly head Isao Kurauchi announced on Monday that he will resign from his position as a member of the legislative body, according to a statement he released. This news comes amidst a significant money scandal that has engulfed the prefectural assembly.

Kurauchi, who is a member of Japan’s ruling party, the Liberal Democratic Party, stated that he will step down following the conclusion of his term as head of the National Association of Chairpersons of Prefectural Assemblies during a meeting in Tokyo on Tuesday. Some former heads and deputy heads of the Fukuoka assembly have revealed that they had paid substantial amounts of cash to senior officials of the LDP group within the assembly before assuming their respective roles. Despite these allegations, Kurauchi and others have denied receiving any monetary benefits.

In response to the ongoing scandal, the prefectural assembly has decided to establish a panel of external experts to investigate the matter, following the guidelines set forth by the Japan Federation of Bar Associations. Kurauchi, a prominent figure in the prefectural assembly, had previously indicated that he would resign as its head "at an appropriate time" in order to assume responsibility for the current turmoil, while also denying any intention of resigning from his position as an assembly member.

However, he did not specify the reason for his decision to resign as an assembly member in his Monday announcement.

Kurauchi was first elected to the Fukuoka Prefectural Assembly in 1987, and he is currently in his tenth term. In addition to his role as an assembly member, he has served as the chief of the LDP’s Fukuoka prefectural chapter. An unusual occurrence, Kurauchi assumed the position of prefectural assembly head for the second time in April 2025.